Sgt.Squarehead Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-47323045 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 It's great that any airmen are honored. But, have been watching this story saturate UK news for days and there has been no explanation re why such a large ceremony for these particular crewmembers. This was 1944, thousands of airmen were being killed, and hundreds of planes crashing or shot down all over Europe. Anyone know what this particular crew did that was so extraordinary compared to all the other brave airmen who died flying over enemy occupied Europe? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 If you have been watching the news coverage then you should know why the fly by happened. For those who don't... A school kid in Sheffield saw the plane crash. He was in a public park where the plane might have been able to land, but they saw him so avoided it to try and find somewhere else. The kid saw the faces of the men and has blamed himself ever since for the deaths. That kid stayed in Sheffield and is now an old man and visits the memorial at the crash site everyday talks to the crew and tends the memorial. A BBC sports presenter lives in Sheffield and walks in the park saw the man doing this and eventually got chatting to him and found out the story. He mentioned it on BBC news one morning and a social media campaign kicked off to get a fly by on the anniversary. Not just for those men but for all the aircrews that died. The US aircrew stated as much on TV. A good news story showing how people care about those who died during the war. This to me was clear from the coverage I watched... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, Holien said: He was in a public park where the plane might have been able to land, but they saw him so avoided it to try and find somewhere else. The kid saw the faces of the men and has blamed himself ever since for the deaths. Ok, that part of the story I didn't see told - even though it's been big news for days. Makes more sense now. Thanks for the explanation. Edited February 23, 2019 by Erwin 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 No problems, always the media over plays things so can be a bit much. I guess BBC keen to have something other than Brexit to focus on. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holien Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 BTW who knows what the crew were trying to do, but for the kid he saw men trying to avoid him, so in his mind hero's. Either way war is about people dying and good to remember them, half term up in Sheffield so hopefully plenty of kids saw the planes and hopefully we're explained why they were there... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 It has been surprising that such a big thing has been made of this - more days' press than for example the Veteran's Day Tomb of the Unknown Soldier ceremony for example. As you say, it's all based on the single uncorroborated story that this boy has been telling since 1944. FWIW news in the UK is quite different from what we see in the US. For example another news item I have noticed in the UK is that some in the UK/Europe see China as the upcoming ally and economic partner and not the US(!). So, the media buzz about these US airmen plus all the US military aircraft flypasts might be a subtle reminder that the US is still here in force. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted February 24, 2019 Author Share Posted February 24, 2019 I'd guess that might be because the old boy has been asking for a flypast for seven decades or so and now it's finally happened. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erwin Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 So there is hope for us all, then. Better start requesting a flypast today... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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